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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23781985">ACHOO!</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/lovling'>lovling (orphan_account)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Magic, BTS cameos - Freeform, Body Swap, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Football | Soccer, Human Kang Taehyun, Kang Taehyun is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Multifandom Cameos, Sort Of, Tyunning Are Awkward, Witch Huening Kai, Witches, Wizard Huening Kai, Wizards, Yeonjun and Kai are Brothers, body switch, but it’s okay, tbh idk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:14:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,702</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23781985</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/lovling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>discontinued</p><p>In which a sip of gatorade takes "Star Boy" Kang Taehyun's life for a wild ride, transforming his perfect, meticulous plans for the future into a guessing game of magic, tissues, friendship, and a strange transfer student who can't seem to stay away.</p><p>or</p><p>Wizard!Kai messes up one of his potions (again), and the clueless Human!Taehyun unknowingly drowns the concoction. Now whenever one of them sneezes, the two switch bodies. Kai can't find a way to reverse the spell, and Taehyun thinks his luck with his crush cannot get any worse than this.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun, Huening Kai/Kang Taehyun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. TRANSFER STUDENT</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is my first txt fic yas but anyways this fic isn’t meant to sexualize the boys in anyway. they are minors at the time i write this and i 100% acknowledge that. i will not be writing ANY SCENES even close to nsfw... so if that’s what you’re looking for please leave and get help??</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For as long as he could remember, Taehyun had always been good at everything. Call him cocky, but he simply was. At the mere age of seven, first grade Taehyun won his very first medal in a region-wide art competition. He had painted a family portrait, including his dog, at detail a first grader's eye should find overwhelming.</p>
<p></p><div><p>In second grade, Taehyun signed up for the school talent show. He wrote and composed a beautiful lullaby and sung at an impressive level (for his age), effortlessly, bringing home gold. In third grade, he began to explore more active hobbies and immediately dominated his age group in both soccer and track. The rest of his elementary years became an ocean of trophy after trophy, tournament after tournament, and medal after medal.</p>
<p></p><div><p>When Taehyun progressed to middle school, newly established academic awards were easily in his reach, and excel classes were no match for his wit. He graduated from his school, top of the grade, as honor boy with a 4.0 GPA K-8.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Justifying these accomplishments with the fact that middle school is nothing compared to high school is arguable.  However, genius Kang Taehyun's golden path did not end there. As soon as he entered high school and attended preseason tryouts, Taehyun made history as the first freshman to star starting lineup—forward—on the varsity soccer team. That year was the first time in four years that they reclaimed the title of region champs.</p>
<p></p><div><p>In a short time, the student body had familiarized themselves with his name. Before he knew it, he was an active representative of the student council with almost unanimous votes. Taehyun continued to take advanced courses on top of this. He had a contagious smile, and his pull was enthrallingly gravitational. There was a certain charm to the boy that drew people in and made them want to stay near him purely because he was fun to be around.</p>
<p></p><div><p>By junior year, Taehyun was student council vice president, leading candidate for captain of the soccer team senior year, track superstar, and dubbed Star Boy of BH High School. Hating out of jealousy or loving out of admiration—everyone knew who he was, and everyone acknowledged his genius.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Well, almost everyone.</p>
<p></p><div><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Taehyun!"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Messy, chestnut hair and a mischievous smile.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu waved to his best friend, making his way across the soccer field.</p>
<p></p><div><p>It was the ungodly hour of five in the morning. Sunshine had not dared to tiptoe across the dewey mountains, ashamed to show its face, forcing a dull blue to fill the skies in its place. It was cold, and the air bitterly nipped at Taehyun's bare skin, chewing off the last of his drowsiness.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu had his black duffel bag with <i>BHS SOCCER</i> embroidered on the front slung over his right shoulder. His usual red bandana was fastened around his forehead, nike slides at his feet as he shuffled over. "Did you get any sleep?" the boy asked, just loudly enough for the other to hear him. It was far too early to be more energetic than that. Then, he dropped his things off at the bench at the edge of the field. The other had already started stretching in his cleats.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun snorted. "It's five am, Beomgyu. Has anyone with a schedule to be up at this time ever gotten sleep?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Fair enough," the latter laughed.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Once Beomgyu had tightened the laces on his own cleats, he headed straight for Taehyun to join him in his warmup routine.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"How'd you even know I'd be out here?" Taehyun wondered aloud, stretching out his arms. Preseason games didn't start for another two weeks at least, and he didn't even hint at the idea of practicing early to his friend.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu hummed in fake contemplation. "Oh—You know! Best friend telepathy. It's like my spidey senses or something."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun shook his head at that, coughing out a "Nerd" (which earned him a good shove on the shoulder.)</p>
<p></p><div><p>"But seriously, Hyun. Somehow, you always manage to find a way to push yourself even more than you already do." The brunet pouted. "Don't you think you should take some time for yourself more?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun shifted into another stretching position and tugged at his right quad. "I don't know what you're talking about. It's not like a few extra practices are gonna hurt. There's no such thing as too much practice."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Yeah, but there is such a thing as overworking yourself."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun shrugged and switched legs for his stretch. "Like I've told you countless times before, if i need a break-"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"-you'll take one yourself一I know! But Hyun, you have a lot on your plate and the last thing I want is for you to stress yourself out to the brink of exhaustion."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun's expression softened and he briefly put a hand on the taller's shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "I'll try to take better care of myself." He smiled; short and sweet. "I promise."</p>
<p></p><div><p>His words seemed to do the trick, as Beomgyu broke into a grin. "A promise from the Star Boy himself! However could I repay him." Beomgyu dramatically bowed.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Oh shut up."</p>
<p></p><div><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun managed to get to class just in time, his uniform perfectly creased. There was no trace of his rushed change because he and Beomgyu decided to do a few drills extra, and there wasn't even a bead of sweat on his palm from sprinting from the field to the lockerooms.</p>
<p></p><div><p>As usual, he was comfortably greeted by his classmates, only able to say he's actually talked to two or three of them. There was Yuna from choir, Jiheon from the dance club, Sanha from art, and—who is that kid again? The crowd around the soccer player wasn't abnormal. No matter where Taehyun had chosen to sit for the day they always found him. If he was the sun, they were his planets.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"I heard we have a new student transferring in," Kim Doyoung said, taking his regular seat next to Taehyun. Doyoung was a fellow member on student council that Taehyun had become friends with just last year over the summer. The two boys had gone to middle school together, but they had never exchanged more than a couple words in conversation. They were in charge of helping teachers rearrange classrooms and situate desks. Being the only two on duty, Taehyun decided becoming friends now rather than fighting the silence for the week was the best way to make the most out of their labor. So, he was the first to initiate conversation, and from there the two developed a close friendship.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Oh really?" Taehyun hummed, putting his backpack on top of his desk. He pulled out a few necessities like his pencil pouch, notebook, and such. "Why is it such a big deal? We get transfer students all the time."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Well," Doyoung started, "you know Cho Hyewon? Apparently her friend, Jihyo, heard bits of his conversation with the Headmaster and he's a foreigner! From Hawaii or something. But apparently he lived in China? But Jaehee said he looks Korean just like us. Oh—and Hyunjin said he looked like an American movie star! Maybe he's mixed?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun nodded, half-listening to his friend's rambling. "Well, whatever and whoever this transfer student may be, let's hope he's not like Felix or Eric."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"What's wrong with them?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Eric is a total idiot; perfect example of brains and brawn but not knowing how to use those brains." Doyoung chuckled. He couldn't deny that. "Felix on the other hand... He's also a total idiot," Taehyun deadpanned with a blank stare. "Just because he has a weird accent and tons of freckles everyone thinks he's a reliable source for global trends. I mean seriously, who even looks at tiktok anymore?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"I do..."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Explains your lack of humor."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung feigned a look of pain, clutching at his chest. "Take that back."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Or what? Is Doyoung D'Amelio going to renegade me?" Taehyun teased.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Before Doyoung could retort, the bell rang, and Taehyun triumphantly turned his attention to the front of the class.</p>
<p></p><div><p>The two shared a few classes, this one, being the only core class, language, alongside some more trivial courses.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Mr. Kim, or Kim Namjoon, was their teacher this semester. He was quite possibly Taehyun's favorite teacher in existence. He used to teach at Doyoung and Taehyun's middle school before he transferred to BH High School just last year. Their last teacher had been an old, frail woman with a grumpy tooth and crooked frown. According to the rumors (curtesy of Lia and Jaehee) she had a terrible back injury and is now on bed rest.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Whether it was cruel or not to share this opinion, everyone in class loved Mr. Kim as a substitute; <i>much</i> more than that crazy lady. The man was tall, young, dimpled with a warm smile, and had this welcoming aura that felt like coming home to your tough-loving older brother.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Students!" Mr. Kim clapped, gathering the room's attention. "As you might've heard we have a new transfer student! He's a little late coming in at the last quarter of this junior year, but hopefully he'll be joining us for senior year as well." Mr. Kim waved at the door and on cue, the mysterious transfer student stepped in.</p>
<p></p><div><p>He was tall, that was the first thing Taehyun noticed. The boy had long, wavy black hair that touched his eyes and snowy, white slender fingers. He had thin lips and a nose that resembled a deer's. Weirdly enough, the boy reminded Taehyun of Bambi.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Hey, I'm Huening Kai. It's nice to meet you all," the boy said simply. His introduction was simple and plain. Yet, something about him made Taehyun want to watch him more—<i>listen</i> to him more. The rest of the class seemed to be in silent agreement about the boy's mysterious charm, some eyes wide and staring while others were just lost in <i>looking</i> at him.</p>
<p></p><div><p>After a few seconds of silence, the situation getting more and more awkward, a wave of whispers fell over the class. ("He's really a foreigner like the rumors said." "How do you even spell that?" "I wonder if he already has a girlfriend...") The whispers were—of course—accompanied by the drumming of fingers tapping away at poorly concealed phones. God was junior year gossipy. Junior year unfortunately included Doyoung, who immediately leaned over his desk to whisper to Taehyun.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Huening... <i>Definitely</i> a foreigner. I wonder if he's-"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Is Kim Doyoung present today?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung snapped up from his desk at the speed of light, surprising Taehyun with the sudden scraping of his chair on the floor. He had pushed it back so quickly and so suddenly the kids seated in front of them jumped. "I'm here, Mr. Kim." (<i>God did he get whiplash?</i>)</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Yes, good. Doyoung," The teacher smiled. "Would you mind helping Kai around the school today with his classes?" Mr. Kim looked over the paper again before handing it to Kai. From the quick glimpse of it, Taehyun could guess it was the boy's schedule. "New schools seem like a maze on your first day."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun snorted. "Doyoung would know. He went to at least one wrong class and lunch for the first week."</p>
<p></p><div><p>The class erupted into snickers. The student next to Taehyun gave him a nonchalant hi-five. Doyoung's ears reddened in embarrassment.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Doyoung here is on student council," Mr. Kim told Kai, effectively putting a stop the the Doyoung slander (sadly). "He's very responsible. You have nothing to worry about." Something about the way Mr.Kim spoke felt as if Doyoung was being threatened to not fuck up. He might as well have been saying, "He must be very responsible <i>even though he usually isn't</i>."</p>
<p></p><div><p>The transfer student nodded, his black waves bobbing with the movement. Mr. Kim motioned him to an open seat near the front of the class, some nearby students smiling at their new opportunity to strike a conversation, and just like that, the class fell back into its everyday procedure.</p>
<p></p><div><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p>"So I saw you with the transfer student. How'd that go?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu plopped his tray of food down onto the wooden lunch table, taking a seat next to Taehyun. Seongmin, another member of the soccer team, followed after to sit next to Doyoung. Both of their trays, warm beige and plastic, had nearly identical orders. Each had a boring salad, vegetables, and one vibrant, red apple. Doyoung merely glanced at their trays and silently wondered how they could restrain themselves from the school's variety of chips and cookies. (Granted, the school's lunch sucked.) <i>"Soccer players are something else,"</i> he thought.</p>
<p></p><div><p>It was lunch time now, and the cafeteria was busy with students filing in and out. This space was one of the highlights of the school, Taehyun would say. The back and side walls were made up of large glass panels, allowing the room to be lit by natural lighting on sunny days like these. Ombrés of blue filled the outside world. It was strange; strange how in a way, Taehyun felt he was looking out from a snow globe and yet he felt so free. Instead of a flurry of plastic snow there were soaring clouds, and instead of suffocating water there was the cool of the AC. Perhaps he was over-exaggerating, but the room made him feel so relaxed after a packed schedule.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Normally, the four boys would sit outside among the outdoor benches or on the grass under a shady tree. The setting was always favored over heavy gazes on their necks, loud freshmen who think they're funny, and surprise love confessions (though them being outside has never stopped the last one.) However, courtesy of their upperclassman and current soccer captains, Jeon Jungkook and Nakamoto Yuta, that option has been ruled out for a few weeks. Who knew a friendly competition using randomly spotted objects as goals could be so dangerous?</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Well?" Beomgyu said impatiently. He looked at both Doyoung and Taehyun with expecting eyes. "How's that Hunting Kiosk guy?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"<i>Huening Kai</i>," Doyoung corrected, rolling his eyes.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu put a mouthful of salad into his mouth and replied while chewing, "Same diff."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Seongmin gagged while kicking the chestnut-haired boy from under the table. "God you have no manners."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu opened his mouth, filled with chewed up bits of food, wide for his teammate to see. "You act like you're any better," he moaned. Seongmin retorted with a face.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"<i>As I was saying</i>," the dancer cut in, "he's actually really cool." Doyoung was absentmindedly playing with the straw of his chocolate milk as he spoke. "Turns out he really was born in Hawaii, but he doesn't remember much of it. He also lived in China and moved to Korea when he was younger."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Dang, he's traveled the world already," Beomgyu remarked. Still stuffing his face, the brunet spoke through gooey, uneaten tomatoes. (Seongmin was so ready to beat his ass on the soccer field later.) "Did you get his number?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung broke into a proud smile. "I sure did. On the first day of meeting! Are you impressed?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Seongmin, despite being occupied with swatting Beomgyu's greedy hands away from his last carrots, was easily able to answer. "No."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Wasn't asking you."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Then don't bother talking."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung rolled his eyes again. (One day they're going to fall out of their sockets.) "Well, we're pretty much friends now. He said he doesn't know if he wants to join any clubs yet but he's thinking choir or being orchestra's piano accompanist."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Should've told him to join soccer," Beomgyu noisily interrupted. "We need a new goalie."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Like I would promote your stupid kick balls game over dance. Have you forgotten I'm-"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Co-captain?" Taehyun finished with a raised brow. "You <i>only</i> mention it twenty times a day."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu laughed. "Not even <i>lead</i> co-captain. Yeji and Saerom got you beat there."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Seongmin piped, "not to mention Hoseok, Jimin, Momo, <i>other</i> Jimin ("Theres literally like seven of them I swear-") Minho—"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"I get it!" The victim of their relentless bullying huffed. "No need to rub it in."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun threw the collectively torn wrappers and bags from their eaten lunches into his paper sack for the trash and stood up. "Maybe you shouldn't be recruiting more members," the boy quipped. "Who knows? Maybe your seniority isn't enough to get you that captain position."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Look who's talking. Just because you're <i>Star Boy</i> doesn't mean you're gonna be captain of the soccer team either. Sure you're buddy buddy with Captain Yeonjun now but who says he'll pick you?" Doyoung put a disgustingly high emphasis on his friend's nickname. The three friends knew how much he hated it.</p>
<p></p><div><p>To anyone else, namely the girls eavesdropping on the boys' table in hopes of digging up gossip to bring up later, it would seem like the two council members were about to break into a fight (they would've been prepared to make bets). However, both Doyoung and Taehyun had knowing smiles on their faces.</p>
<p></p><div><p>They duo had a friendly rivalry with one another. As the two junior representative for student council, they knew it would be a competition between them both for President next year. Even if they would never let something as stupid as a title get in the way of their friendship, they both liked to entertain each other with playful remarks and lazy insults.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"That's right! Maybe I'll be captain!" Beomgyu exclaimed, hands on his hips.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Seongmin let out a loud "HUH?" at that. "Park Jisung is leagues ahead of you. If anything he's next in line after Taehyun."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Park Jisung couldn't dribble around my grandma if he tried!" The brunet rasped.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"And who was the one who got megged thrice by the same player from JYP Academy last year at semis?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"He was playing dirty and you know that!"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung and Taehyun easily detached themselves from the two's argument, quietly laughing at the show while getting up from their seats. It was a routine to just let them at it until their flames sizzled away. Sometimes Taehyun would have to pour water over their metaphorical wildfire, but today was too calm of a day for that to be necessary.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Dumping their garbage into some nearby trash cans, Taehyun noticed a familiar figure in the distance. "Hey," he nudged Doyoung's shoulder, "isn't that Huening Kai? With Yeonjun?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung squinted momentarily before his eyes faintly widened. "I think it is! That's weird... I wonder how they know each other. Kai didn't mention anything about-"</p>
<p></p><div><p>The bell rang just then, and Doyoung nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound. "Shit I gotta go. Big test." Those short words and his slurred goodbyes were all the male left to Taehyun before rushing to his next class. He didn't bother to look back, luckily. If he had, he would've questioned what his friend was doing, to which, he would have no believable excuse.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Intrigued, Taehyun's eyes lingered on the transfer student and his dear captain for a moment longer. Yeonjun was a year older than them, and Taehyun knew him to be the kind of guy who was too comfortable with his usual life to suddenly let new people in and talk to someone just because—<i>especially</i> someone younger. So, how did they know each other?</p>
<p></p><div><p>He wasn't even sure why he was getting so hung up over Kai in the first place. He didn't know him, and yet he's been finding himself thinking more and more about him.</p>
<p></p><div><p>It was like he was under some kind of spell.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun frustratingly shook his head. <i>"Get to class,"</i> he reminded himself. <i>”Stop thinking so much."</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>"Hyun!" a voice chimed. Taehyun briskly span on his heel to meet the smiling face of Min Karin. Karin and Taehyun had been aquaintences since freshman year. Formerly, what they had of a relationship was because of some of the soccer boys wanting to become friends with the other cheerleaders, dragging Taehyun into their conversations at a post-game party. The majority of their team could be found screaming the forward's name at games, and the boys knew how popular he was一with girls especially. He was human bait.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Karin was surrounded with some of her cheer friends including two to three people Hyun could vaguely recall mingling with at the previously mentioned party.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"We were just about to go to Mrs. Rhea's. You've got that class too, right? Wanna come with?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun smiled politely with a nod, eyes darting to Yeonjun then back. He stepped to her side and pushed the pounding thoughts in his head away. "I'd love to."</p>
<p></p><div><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p>Ringing bells had never sounded better to Taehyun's ears. Even though they were practically stabbing at his ear drums and unpleasantly greeting his headache by vibrating his entire head, the sound was signifying that he could finally go home, and that was enough to make the din beautiful. Somehow, his last classes of the day felt more exhausting than Coach Kim's conditioning and Hell week combined. Physics and Chemistry had never been such a bitch. Not because it was hard (nothing seemed to be hard for him anymore), but because there was so much homework assigned that stress took the form of a monster in his stomach.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Science, his last class of the day, was located on the school's second floor. Mr. Lee taught this class, and his room always smelled of polished plastic and something alien that students assumed to be chemicals.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Similarly to the cafeteria, the wall closest to the outside was all glass. The view presented a small garden of shrubbery, bushes, and all sorts of dainty flowers. Stone paths lead to the center of the grounds where a small, unused cathedral was embedded. The piece stood, reminding students just how old the school was.</p>
<p></p><div><p>What was with him lately? All of today his focus strayed everywhere else but where it needed to be. With a shake of his head, the boy brought his attention back to his backpack so he could finish carelessly stuffing his bag up with left-out supplies.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Just as Taehyun had slung his backpack over his shoulder, one strap loose and half zipped, he heard it: two familiar voices.</p>
<p></p><div><p>The science room had a lab connected to it at the front of the class. The door that separated the two had been broken since last year's seniors, Choi Hyunsuk and Lee Byounggon, broke it in a "science experiment" involving a skateboard and two party sized bottles of cola. That, and the thin walls, were the only things keeping the voices contained. Consequently, Taehyun could roughly draw out the two voices' conversation, or more accurately, their argument.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"You did .... again! I told you .... too dangerous!"</p>
<p></p><div><p>The first voice seemed angry, and the sound striked Taehyun to be oddly familiar.</p>
<p></p><div><p>The second voice was less angry and more defensive.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Didn't .... mean to! Nothing bad .... Why ... trust me?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Even though he knew better, Taehyun found himself creeping towards the door. There was no doubt about it, he knew the first voice personally. But rather than blaming his curiosity and his want to find out who the owner of the voice was, Taehyun blamed his responsibility of representing student council on his present, ungentlemanly actions. How could he let two students, likely unauthorized, occupy the lab?</p>
<p></p><div><p>"I warned you. Coming to this school means you can't do this type of stuff. Is it that hard to be normal?" Now that he was closer, the words and voices were more distinct.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Normal? Why are they the normal? Why not us?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Because that's how things are, Kai."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun's eyes widened at the mention of the transfer student. He peaked into the crack of the open door. Sure enough, there was Hueningkai, facing another student with a familiar silhouette. <i>"That must be the first voice,"</i> Taehyun thought. The figure had a dark hoodie on, back facing him. <i>”They look so familiar."</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>"Well why can't this be normal?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Sparks and a flicker of light. It happened so suddenly, and Taehyun had to blink his suspicion away. For there it was, a small, blue fire that was bubbling in Kai's hands. Was Taehyun seeing this right? Fire? The boy's fingers danced with the flames before it vanished just as it appeared. <i>"What. The. Fuck."</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>"It's beautiful! It's amazing. We could do so much with our gifts! We-"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"-could get locked up? Killed and feared because of what we are?" The familiar voice lowered its volume, but it's anger was still laced with every word. "You can't keep making potions so carelessly. You especially can't be using them on other people. I thought you were old enough to understand that."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"I am, Yeonjun."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun held in a gasp. <i>”Captain Yeonjun? Why is he..."</i> Images from lunch flashed inside his head as if they were answering.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"I'm not a fucking kid anymore so stop treating me like one," Kai spat.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Then stop acting like one."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"You think I don't know how dangerous it is? You think I don't know what I'm doing?" Kai's fist visibly clenched. "I know what I'm doing, and I'm not going to give this up just because of fear. I'm not a coward like you."</p>
<p></p><div><p><i>SMACK!</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai's face was positioned to the left, numb and hanging. His eyes were full of shock. Yeonjun held his hand up, right in front of his right cheek. "If I'm a coward for trying to protect you一protect us一then I'll gladly be a coward."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Then, he disappeared.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun was left stunned, watching as Kai's large eyes diminished into an angry glare, and how he slammed his fist onto one of the lab's tables, pained groans escaping his lips.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Fucking Yeonjun... I'm going to-"</p>
<p></p><div><p><i>CREAK. THUD!</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>The door opened. (Not that it's could close thanks to Hyunsuk and Byounggon.)</p>
<p></p><div><p><i>”Shit."</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun ran. Taehyun ran as fast as he could for the door, thanking Coach Kim's previously cursed conditioning and Hell Week for making his legs so strong. He sprinted down the hall, straight for the stairs, next jumping four steps at a time. His thoughts were spiraling disorderly around his head over what he had just saw一what he had heard.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Was Kai a demon? A fairy of some sort? Or was it all just some sick prank? In a way, Taehyun wanted to be made a fool of and be told that there were hidden cameras all around him right now.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun's mind was so locked on getting away that he hadn't realized he made it a block away off campus until he heard the honk of a car on a passing road. The boy finally took a break, resting his sweaty palms onto his knees. Pants escaped his lips in uneven wisps. He wasn't even sure if the sweat was really from running so fast or being scared out of his mind thinking about what could've happened if he had got caught.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun wanted to put it all behind him. He wanted to so badly go back minutes ago and tell past, post-science Taehyun to not be such a nosy bitch. He wanted to so badly revile himself and convince himself into leaving his curiosity to rot.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Curiosity killed the cat, and in Taehyun's case, <i>he was the cat.</i></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. GATORADE</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The clock ticking was the first thing that Taehyun's ears recognized. The second was his small cat, Hobak, whose purrs were drowned out by some late night rain. The boy sighed as he sat up, moving his heavy arms to the middle of his lap. Hobak shivered at the loss of her human blanket and followed his hands to the warmest part of the bed, him. She curled into his stomach and gnawed at his t-shirt. Taehyun, who was accustomed to her lifestyle, stroked her fur gently with what little energy he had. His pets tended to do this; act as if <i>they</i> owned <i>him</i>, not the other way around. Hyun could vaguely recall the night in which his pet snake, Cherry, managed to find its way into his pencil pouch, not letting him grab a single utensil to finish his homework. (Taehyun ended up having to bike to Beomgyu's house and ask him for a spare. Beomgyu, over a stupid 2B pencil, made him buy drinks for practice for a month.)</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun grabbed Hobak by her back, gently lifting her into the air Lion King style so that her beady, yellow eyes poured into his large, chocolate brown. "What do you think you're doing so late," he mumbled, voice scratchy and low. In her own language, Hobak protested (not even answering his question), gently clawing at the boy's palm and mewling for him to put her down. Taehyun obliged, setting her onto his bedroom floor to scurry away. The soccer player sighed again, looking at the clock reading in neon blue lines, 3:17. Deciding to get out of bed, he slid off his covers and stretched his arms into the air.</p>
<p></p><div><p>It was Sunday, or Monday as of now, and the boy had not gotten a wink of sleep. After everything that had happened just two days ago, how could he?</p>
<p></p><div><p>The Friday fire lab incident with Kai still hadn't digested properly in his stomach. No matter how many times he played the scene over in his head during the weekend, everything that happened一from Yeonjun and Kai's relationship to the older's disappearance and the fire一didn't make sense; none of it did.</p>
<p></p><div><p>He had turned down several party invitations because of the incident (which wasn't too abnormal) for the purpose of thinking things over. But he had also bailed out of his movie date with Beomgyu, claiming that he forgot about a large project due by the end of the week. After a few suspicious texts and replies of reassurance, Beomgyu let his best friend off the hook, but not before he reminded the former that he was always there if he needed to talk.</p>
<p></p><div><p>As Taehyun stood in his bathroom mirror, sporting an oversized, white t-shirt and gray sweats (his usual sleeping attire), he realized that that was precisely the problem. He couldn't tell anyone what he saw. What would he say? "Oh, I saw the transfer student with Choi Yeonjun, captain of the soccer team, and they have magic powers!" That would make him the laughing stock of the school. Even for those who wouldn't immediately turn their backs on "Star Boy", they'd probably pass it off as a joke.</p>
<p></p><div><p>It wasn't like he didn't understand why they wouldn't believe him. Taehyun had desperately tried to brainstorm any plausible answers to what he saw himself. He went as far as to ripping a page out of one of his notebooks to draw them out for visualization. He had jotted down a list of things like the use of a projector, hallucinations, and even returned to his initial thought, some sort of slap cam for giggles. But each time he came up with an idea, his mind supplied him with a counter, shooting down each possibility. His own thoughts were playing a game of tug-a-war, pulling between "what you saw was real" and "you're a crazy, high bitch."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun splashed his face with cold water,  next gripping at the edge of his sink. He felt a number of different emotions crashing as waves in his stomach. One wave was confusion, which was more like a whirlpool if anything. It spun around and made him feel sick to the bone. Thoughts thrashed against each other's sides with threatening thorns hitched upon their backs. Another wave was shock, which was fueled by his doubts and everything logical the boy knew about the world. It flooded his body and filled in every empty nook and cranny. Then there was fear. Fear was a small wave, but it was sharp—nimble. Taehyun had no clue where the wave was. He couldn't spot it amongst his own black sea in the stormy night. Yet, it was there, lurking and growing in strength. It's existence would poke at his mind, itching in every thought and assignment he would attempt to finish. Wondering what would happen, what he一what Kai was, <i>it was terrifying.</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>Worst of it all, Taehyun felt like he had forgotten something. When the door had opened he didn't even check to see if it was possible for Kai to have seen him. But what bothered him the most was the way he crashed into a desk when leaving the door, and the <i>THUD!</i> that followed after that. Taehyun wasn't positive, but he thought that fraction of a second could've given the other a chance to see him.</p>
<p></p><div><p><i>"You're fine,"</i> Taehyun thought to himself when a chill went down his spine. <i>"He didn't see you. Nothing is going to happen."<i>He repeated the five word phrase in his head as he left his bathroom, Hobak curling around his ankle. He repeated the phrase as he got into bed for the second time that night, pulling his blanket over his head. He repeated the phrase even with his cat chewing at his sleeve and whining for attention, and he repeated the phrase as he fell into a slumber.</i></i></p>
<p></p><div><p>Perhaps he thought that if he chanted the sentence in his head enough times, he could convince himself that it was true.</p>
<p></p><div><p><i>"Nothing is going to happen."</i></p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>"Taehyun!" Doyoung hollered while running across the courtyard. The boy had a draw bag in his arms (probably containing his dance shoes and extra clothes), his usual backpack strapped onto his shoulders. "Missed you at Hyunjin's this weekend. Where were you?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>The said boy bit down a nervous laugh and forced a smile upon his lips. "I forgot about the history project," he lied. Taehyun was trying his best to keep his story straight. After all, Beomgyu was nosier than a best friend should be. Although that had pros and cons, in this instance, it was a con.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung and Taehyun kept each other company on the walk to their first period class. Before they could even make it through the doorway, loud "good morning"s from girls and boys alike welcomed the two, rushing to crowd around Taehyun. The soccer player grinned politely whenever someone asked if they could be his seat buddy of the day. (No matter how many times he told the class that he always sat with Doyoung, they ended up asking him the next time they had class.)</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Taehyun, you never sit with us," a girl whined.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Yeah, why don't you ever give us a chance too?" another joined in.</p>
<p></p><div><p>A cough suddenly intruded on their one-sides conversation, and Taehyun silently praised his newfound lord for getting him out of awkward interaction with the opposite sex.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"You know people usually walk through these, right?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun nearly jumped put of his skin at the familiar voice. He stumbled backwards in shock, barely dodging the swarm of girls behind him. ("Taehyun! Are you okay?")</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung gave his friend a weird look, only promptly though, before turning around to smile widely at the new voice. "Kai! I almost forgot you had this class."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai, dressed in the school uniform with his tie looser than it should be, faked a pout. "Already forgetting about your new friend? It's only been two days since we first met."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Laughing, Doyoung punched the taller's arm (he couldn't reach his shoulder). "As if i could forget you. You're a literal lamppost."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Hey!"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun was left in awe as one of his closest friends spoke so familiarly with <i>him.</i> Kai was acting like an average teenage boy, but Taehyun could only see him as anything but. That one moment had drastically changed the way he looked at him.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Mind if I join you two today for class?" Kai suddenly met Taehyun's analyzing gaze, giving him a natural smile.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Before even a breath could escape his lips, Doyoung beat whatever excuse Taehyun was about to muster up with a simple "come sit." A few classmates inwardly cursed, wondering how a transfer student of two days could already be so buddy-buddy with the Star Boy.</p>
<p></p><div><p>In actuality, though, the boy was buddy-buddy with the Star Boy's <i>friend.</i> Doyoung and Kai went off into their own little world as the bell rang. Mr. Kim had to hush them several times during class when their whispers and mumbling got too loud. Taehyun tried to ignore them and focus on his work, but it was no use.</p>
<p></p><div><p>All he could think about was if Kai knew. The way he smiled at him at the beginning of class seemed so normal and yet, it made him feel that horrible wave of fear in the pit of his stomach.</p>
<p></p><div><p><i>”Why is he acting so natural?"</i> Taehyun thought to himself. He did his best to scribble down some words for the essay they were currently working on. <i>"Did he really not see me?"</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>The soccer player took a tentative glance to the left of his desk, watching as Kai attempted to hide his chuckles with the side of his wrist while Doyoung shared one of his skating fail stories. It looked like an everyday school life scene.</p>
<p></p><div><p><i>"Maybe I really did get away safely."</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun took a deep breath and picked his pencil up again. "You've been stressing for nothing," he whispered to himself. Hyun shook his head, almost disappointed that his emotional investment had been literally pointless. He then realized, while staring at his paper absentmindedly, that he barely had one paragraph down, and that the first rough draft was due by next class. The boy needed to focus.</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>The rest of the week went by just the same; Taehyun was overthinking, and Kai was acting normal. Taehyun was starting to actually believe that Kai didn't know he was at the lab. He was able to join in on his and Doyoung's conversations now, and he felt comfortable enough to be the one in the middle during language class, putting him right next to Kai.</p>
<p></p><div><p>His efforts to convince himself that what he saw wasn't real were paying off. He could put the entire event behind him now, and get back to the real world一his social life and studies included. Furthering his conclusion, this weekend, he was Seongmin and Beomgyu's plus one invite to some party where they didn't even know the host, and Taehyun found himself genuinely enjoying the moment. He was able to lose himself in the music, make easy conversation with some flirty strangers, and dance like no one in the room was watching.</p>
<p></p><div><p>It never felt so good to not know.</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>"God, I'm so sore," Beomgyu complained while rolling his shoulder back. Half-eaten carrots were left ignored on his lunch tray, laying against his completely untouched sandwich. He had been trying to stretch out a kink in his shoulder for the past ten minutes. Sometime during the party, Beomgyu was dared into jumping off the balcony into the pool. Under the control of two or three shots of alcohol, he carried out the dare (not) flawlessly, and he jacked up his shoulder at harsh impact with the pool floor.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Seongmin snorted. "You're lucky we were there to drive you home and sneak you in. You could've killed yourself last night."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Don't you have open gym starting this week?" questioned Doyoung. "How are you gonna play with a light hangover?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"I've done it with worse," Beomgyu replied groggily. He was gripping his hair in fists, head looming over his tray. It looked like he was having a staring contest with his carrots <i>and losing.</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>"Coach Kim's going to beat your ass if he finds out you were out drinking last night," Taehyun said. Contrary to popular belief, Taehyun didn't drink. He never had, and he never planned on it. The boy prioritized his future, starter spot, and potential scholarships way too much to risk them over temptations like alcohol. Usually he wouldn't go to a party at all if there was a drop in sight. He also valued his position on student council far too highly to have some snitch that's had it out for him to ruin it all.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu, on the other hand, without feeling any sort of responsibility, really didn't give a shit.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"If <i>anyone</i> finds out he was drinking he's a goner," Seongmin interjects. "You're lucky none of the other soccer boys were at that party."</p>
<p></p><div><p>The brunet nodded, or at least his friends think his weird lull of the head was a nod. He poked at his carrots with a plastic fork and lazily plopped them into his mouth.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Seongmin shook his head at the sight of his friend. "So Doyoung, how's Kai?" he asked. He didn't have much easygoing conversation in the absence of his comedic duo partner, Beomgyu.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung shrugged. "Nothing new. We're pretty close now, I guess. He joined choir and he's actually getting kind of popular."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Oh? Never thought a theater kid could get popular."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"He's not a theater kid! Musical theater and choir are very different."</p>
<p></p><div><p>The dancer's words went in one ear and out the other. Seongmin eyed Taehyun slyly. "Perhaps Star Boy has a competitor," teased he.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun seethed, "Oh whatever. You act like Jiheon didn't confess to you at the party."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Shut up we're not like that!" Seongmin argued. "She's just a friend."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Oh yeah... just friends," Taehyun said half-heartedly while nodding. The word "friends" was coated thickly in sarcasm as he said it.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu, spouting the first things that came to his head, blurted out, "Yeah just like you and Soobin." His voice was quiet. Even when out of it like he was now, Beomgyu always protected Taehyun and his privacy. Although, a more proper best friend thing to do would be not to mention it at all, at least only Taehyun could hear what he had said.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun was now the attractive shade of a tomato. The mention of the senior always made Taehyun's stomach erupt with butterflies. It wasn't a secret that he had a crush on him to his other friends but, they didn't understand the extent of it.</p>
<p></p><div><p>His fascination with the tall, bunny-like boy started when he was just a freshman. During then, he had made his first splash in the student body as the infamous freshman starter on the soccer team. When Taehyun showed up to track tryouts, Soobin, one of the more notable athletes on the team, noticed his eagerness and raw potential. He himself, as a sophomore, understood the struggle of accustoming oneself to the sport the first year. He took Taehyun under his wing as a mentor and friend, and the two ended up becoming a little more than acquaintances. They didn't talk as frequently as Taehyun would've wished, but he wouldn't admit that.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Anyways... Where's Kai? I never see him at lunch."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu, who was half-awake half-asleep, joined in on teasing. "Trying to change the subject from Jiheon now?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Shut up. I always see him with Doyoung but then he just disappears. Don't you guys find it strange how he literally vanishes?" Turning his attention to the mentioned friend, Seongmin tilted his head. "Who does he sit with? Do you know?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>At the sound of the transfer student's name, Taehyun found himself stiffening. Sure, he was comfortable now with even becoming friends with the taller boy, but that didn't mean his unsettling feelings for him were gone.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung paused for a second, contemplating the question. "Well I wouldn't say vanish. To be honest, I never really thought about it. I don't know. Maybe with Yedam?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Yedam? Bang Yedam?" Taehyun enquired. "I didn't know they were friends."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Me neither," voiced Doyoung. "Apparently they got close in choir."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Can we stop talking about that Jongin guy?" Beomgyu moaned. His head was beginning to literally vibrate in pain. "He's all you guys ever talk about now. I don't get it."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Seongmin whistled while Doyoung pulled a face. "It's Kai. ("Where on Earth did you get Jongin?") I didn't know he bothered you that much..."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Hey that's kind of unfair, Beom..." Seongmin squeezed the brunet's shoulder. "It is your fault that you're in pain right now. You know that right? Ever since last summer all you've wanted to do at parties is drink and now-"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu whipped his body away from the other's hand. "Okay! I get it! It's my fault, okay? I'm sorry!" he yelled.</p>
<p></p><div><p>His abrupt change in volume wasn't very noticeable in the loud cafeteria. Everyone seemed to be talking over one another, too immersed in their own conversations or too busy scrolling through their phones to notice the commotion. There were a few neighboring tables that turned their heads, but after seeing it was merely Beomgyu's infamous megaphone mouth, all interest drained from their system.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun's eyes softened at the state of his best friend, concern flooding his features. "Hey, no one's trying to nitpick at you or anything. Yeah you still did it, but open gym just slipped your mind. Obviously don't do it again, but it's no big deal." He offered a small, comforting smile.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung eagerly nodded, wanting to diffuse the situation as swiftly as possible. "The last thing we want is for you to, if the universe were to somehow get flipped upside down, not make the team." Without breaking eye contact, Doyoung kicked Seongmin's feet from under the table. "Right, Seongmin?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>While poorly concealing a wince, the third soccer player agreed. "Yeah. We just want what's best for you." Something in his voice sounded forced up and broken; like he was saying everything but what he wanted to. None of the other boys took much notice, allowing the strange tone to pass by as awkwardness. (Seongmin was never good at apologizing.)</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu inhaled and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "I know. I'll try to be more careful." Then, he picked up his fork again, and started to eat. Scratch that一Seongmin and Beomgyu <i>both</i> sucked at apologizing.</p>
<p></p><div><p>With one solid year of friendship, however, the two opposing boys had found that their way of apologizing was much different than the usual "I'm sorry." To them, their means of communication was through awkward yet sincere eye contact and small gestures.</p>
<p></p><div><p>For starters, Beomgyu at least knew how to express his emotions towards others. He frequently showed his concern for Taehyun when the boy was overworking himself, sick, or most commonly, stressed. But when it came to his own feelings, he tended to ignore them until they grew into an uncontrollable beast, locking it up inside of himself until it hurt so much he had to shout in sudden outbursts of rage. Needless to say, his coping techniques were not effective.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Seongmin was simply emotionally constipated. He didn't ever really say kind things, but he was never truly mean either. He kept to his nature of teasing out of love and cussing his friends out during games. But that was just how he showed his feelings.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Hey! How about I bring some drinks to you guys at tryouts!" Doyoung suggested with a cheerful smile. For Doyoung, that meant "We accept your apology."</p>
<p></p><div><p>A glint shone in Beomgyu's eyes. "What kind?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>The latter hummed. "Anything you guys would like."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"So that means you're coming to watch us?" Taehyun asked with a playful smile. The fellow student council member was always busy. He always tried to make the most important of their games like semi-finals, state, and such. This would be the first time in a while that he showed up to an event as trivial as open gym.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung hesitated, but after seeing the sparkles of hope in Beomgyu's eyes he couldn't say no. The boy grinned. "I'll be there a little late."</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>"Hey, Kai! Wait up!" Doyoung called. He jogged after the taller, who slowed down to make it easier for him. Man he was doing a lot of chasing today.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"What's up?" Kai asked. He was just on his way to his locker so he could go home.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung panted, "I... I was... Was looking for you." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I was wondering if you would want to come with me to open gym today."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Open gym?" Kai laughed. "Doyoung... I know we've only known each other for like what, a week? But I think it's pretty obvious that sports aren't my thing."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"No not to play!" The shorter motioned his shoulder forward so that his backpack hung on one strap and reached into the front pocket to grab his phone. He opened it up to the notes app and showed Kai the list that he had created at lunch. "It's sort of a long story, but I need to go to the convenience store to get some drinks for Beomgyu, Seongmin, and Taehyun. But, I walked to school today and I don't think I'll make it before they start so..."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"You want me to bike over?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung knew how troublesome the favor sounded. One week of friendship definitely wasn't enough to be able to shamelessly ask someone to do such tasks. Pouting, Doyoung pleaded, "you don't even have to bike! Just let me borrow it and I'll do the rest."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai shook his head with a sigh. "It's fine. I don't trust you with my bike anyways." He pulled out the keys to his bike lock from his pocket and gave the other a nod. "Just give me the money, address, and text me the list and it'll be fine."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Thank you so much!" Doyoung exclaimed, happily surprised. That was easier than he thought it'd be. The boy came running to Kai with the expectation of having to beg and offer him food for a week.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"On one condition, though."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Or maybe not.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"What?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>A lovely smile adorned Kai's lips. "Give me a few extra so I can buy myself a snack or two, too."</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>All while Kai biked to the store, occasionally repeating the address in his head, he wore that lovely, lovely smile on his face. It was as if the curve of his lips was a tattoo, not once faltering as he picked up the pace.</p>
<p></p><div><p>The wind brushed through his wavy, black locks, pushing it back to expose his forehead. Cool air caught in his blazer causing it to flap like a superhero's cape on a midnight sky patrol.</p>
<p></p><div><p>As it had just rained early this morning, the air was fresher than usual. The flowers near the sidewalk waved hellos and goodbyes at passing cars and the trees sang melodies to the golden sun. Clouds were stitched into the sky, pinned from point A to point B in long, bumpy strips. Today's weather was perfect for the outdoors and perfect for a bike ride like this.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai, somehow still smiling, jumped off his bike when he arrived at the store to walk the machine over to a nearby bike rack to chain it on. He grabbed his water bottle from the cup holder and took a few small sips to slow the sweat building at his forehead. Checking his watch, he noted it took about ten minutes to get there and he wasn't even going at full speed. There was no way Doyoung would've made it一he was right about that. Kai, with his bike, though, would make it back in time.</p>
<p></p><div><p>When he entered the store, greeting the cashier and making his way to the back of the store, that smile still never left his face. Kai had accepted Doyoung's offer so easily because he had just made the boy's plan easier.</p>
<p></p><div><p>His plan for Taehyun.</p>
<p></p><div><p>He grabbed six Gatorades, four reds and two blues based on the list Doyoung gave him on their preferences. Lastly, he threw two bags of chips into his arms, and headed to the cashier for checkout.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Formerly, the odds of his plan working were low; execution, timing, and all. But now, with this...</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Thank you for shopping!"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai went out the door, pausing momentarily to check if anyone was in sight. After fake texting for a few minutes and two strangers walking their dog later, he made a sharp turn into the empty space between the store wall and a brick fence. He dropped his backpack to the ground, unzipping not one, but two zippers to get to what he wanted, safely secured in a bundle of toilet paper.</p>
<p></p><div><p>He unraveled the clump, submerging a glass vile that was filled to the tip of its cork with a clear, bubbling liquid into the open air. To anyone else, it would look like a strange way to hold sparkling water, but to Kai it was his ticket out of this damned mess he had created.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai held the vile up to his eye, gently rocking it back and forth. "Can't be trusted my ass," he whispered, reminiscing the last words Yeonjun had said to him that Friday afternoon. He twisted the cap off of the blue Gatorade and poured the drink out so it looked like someone had already taken their fair share. Finally, he poured the clear residue into the bottle and tightened the cap on again, making it appear brand new. "Now you just have to get him to drink it and get rid of the evidence." He needed to be quick. Taking another couple paranoid glances around him, he shoved the drinks into his backpack along with the now empty vile.</p>
<p></p><div><p>With this, his plan would work.</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>In the knick of time, Kai managed to arrive at the field and did as fast of a walk as he could after his exhausting bike ride. Like he told Doyoung, the boy really wasn't a sports kind of guy. He was more of a "I would like to stay home and never move a muscle" guy.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Kai!" Doyoung sang while waving an arm, signaling the other over. About ten meters away, said boy could make out his friend in a gray sweatshirt with its hoodie concealing his hazelnut locks, the waves curling at his forehead like a halo. Halo, the word was a match with him, Kai thought. He had been the one to welcome him and befriend him so easily like an angel sent from heaven, even if it was by force at first. <i>"Maybe after this I should do something to genuinely thank him."</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>"Wow... Making others do your charity work for them. How disappointing." Seongmin folded his arms in false dissatisfaction. He had noticed the dancer shouting while applying sunscreen, as did Taehyun, who after slapping Beomgyu fully awake on the thigh followed Seongmin and now the three were right behind Doyoung. "I thought you loved us."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung pushed Seongmin on the arm, a bit too hard since he fell into Taehyun, and yelled, "Hey! Be grateful I had him get your drinks. If it weren't for his bike you guys would've gotten them after open gym started."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu suddenly stepped out from between Hyun and Seongmin, eyes attaching themselves to Kai with distress. "Where are they? If I don't get something down my system now I think I'm going to pass out."</p>
<p></p><div><p>The tallest of the five could only laugh at the scene. "They're right here." Kai places his backpack onto the grass and unzipped it, pulling out the three colorful drinks. "Two reds一" Beomgyu snatched a plastic bottle out of his hands at the speed of light as soon as the bright red reflected in his eyes. A crunch signified the twisting of the lid which went flying off the drink into the grass to be ignored. Beomgyu began to chug the liquid down like there was nothing else that mattered.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Manners!" Seongmin scolded, walking the brunet on the arm.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Not paying much mind to Beomgyu's rude behavior, Kai waved Seongmin off, telling him not to worry about it and passed the other read to him. Then, he revealed the last and most important drink. "And one blue." Kai had to lower his gaze a few centimeters each time he looked at Taehyun. This was the first time Kai really took in the latter's features. The boy had light brown hair that fell over his eyes in long, even strands that framed his face in a way that made it seem smaller than it was. Overall, he was small in general with a tiny waist and slim figure. Muscularity in the calves was the only visible sign of strength he had going for him. As Kai dropped the drink in the other's hands, he almost felt bad for what he knew what was to come to such a fragile-looking body.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Legally speaking, Kai had technically just "drugged" an unarmed and unsuspecting minor. Granted, he was a minor as well, but that didn't justify his sin. <i>"It's not like you had a choice,"</i> Kai reassured himself. <i>"He saw too much, even if he's ignoring it."</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>Ignorance was bliss, people often said. A history of one-sided feuds between the boy and adults had lead him to often hate such sayings. He hated the idea of superiority based on age. The idea that, just because you're younger you're perceived as naive, unknowledgeable, untrustworthy, and unable to contribute to a conversation of importance. Specific events in particular have strengthened his agenda, namely his relationship with Yeonjun and his parents. As Kai watched Taehyun's throat bob as he swallowed the drink, he truly believed that ignorance is a bliss, and that is exactly what he was giving Taehyun.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Still, Kai was lost in self-disappointment, battling his own conscience. So lost, in fact, that he didn't care to remember why he told himself earlier to leave the scene as fast as possible.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Yeonjun was watching.</p>
<p></p><div><p>His eyes were glued to the bottles in each of the boy's一Seongmin's, Beomgyu's, and Taehyun's hands一watching while holding his breath. He knew the last words he said to Kai weren't right. He had lazily said whatever was on his mind and his word choice was poor, but he didn't regret it. What he did regret was perhaps not being clear enough about what "stop" meant.</p>
<p></p><div><p>It wasn't a surprise, and he could smell it from here, yards away from the boys. It was magic. Kai had put something in those drinks. Yeonjun didn't know what it was but he assumed the why was out of spite. Of course he would pick a victim among his fellow teammates. Yes, he was certain this was a declaration of revenge, and Kai wove his flag high.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Most importantly, Yeonjun needed to find out if he had contaminated all the drinks or just one. As his brain was already leaning towards the catalyst of revenge, it'd make sense if they were all consuming one of the boy's potions. Then again, Kai always seemed to be unpredictable. <i>"I don't have time for thinking right now. Just get the bottles out of their hands-"</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai did it for him. He suddenly stopped Taehyun from drinking, patting him on the shoulder and telling him something with that obnoxious smile. Taehyun seemed to be caught off guard, but he handed him the drink with a nod. Yeonjun noticed that the other two handed theirs over as well, but both Beomgyu's and Seongmin's were already empty. Kai didn't seem to be bothered by that at all.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Yeonjun, are you even listening to me?" Coach Kim had his regular oversized notebook in hand. Papers upon papers contained a long list of written drills, names, positions, and strategies that were hinged into the spine. Through his thin, silver reading glasses, he had been trying to go over some brief warmup exercises with one of his trusted captains to lead when he noticed that the boy's attention had strayed elsewhere.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Coach Kim, or Kim Seokjin, was a young-looking man reaching his mid-twenties. He was very handsome, the teachers often fawning over him when they saw him in the halls一even the soccer team gave him that. He was the type of coach who would work his team to the bone if it meant getting the results he wanted, but he was also kind. Kind in the way that he saw potential in each and every one of his players and that he understood they were all individuals going their own pace. Kind in the way that "the results he wanted" were the results he believed his team could achieve with their own passion and dreams. He never liked to show his more sympathetic side, and currently, as he looked over at his chosen captain of the team, he only showed firmness.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Y-yes coach!" Yeonjun frantically replied as his eyes dragged across the field. He met the older man's intimidating stare with poorly concealed panic. "Warmups, right?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Yeonjun, if this team isn't important enough to you right now as captain, I will gladly hand over warmup responsibility to Jungkook or Yuta."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Yeonjun knew what that meant. He'd likely get less say in the formations and strategies they used in game. As a natural born leader it frustrated the hell out of him to watch as everyone else came up with a plan when he knew how to lead the team right. He sounded cocky and arrogant, and maybe he was, but he knew he had the ability to be the one who could lead them to state again this year.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Sorry, Coach. I'm listening." He took a glance at Kai who was already leaving the field with a boy in a sweatshirt he didn't recognize. Yeonjun's grip on his pants tightened. "It wont happen again."</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p> </p><p>Open gym thus proceeded as it had in previous years with the following events: laps around the field, warmups and stretches lead by the assigned captain, partner passes, drills, and then light scrimmaging since it was only the first day.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Taehyun instantly recognized the familiar faces of his team in years past. There were, just to name, the current lead captains consisting of Yeonjun, Jungkook and Yuta (one seemed younger than the rest). There was also senior players Seo Changbin and Jung Wooyoung who had rejected his captain nomination because of his other commitments involving dance. Though they weren't close, there were also some other junior players such as Park Jisung, Zhong Chenle, Lee Eunsang, and many more. Then there were the sophomores, including Yoo Kangmin who was Taehyun's personal favorite freshman last year, and the new freshmen which Taehyun hadn't been introduced to yet.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Glaring into the back of his neck, the sun seemed to be turning up the notches on the temperature of the field. Taehyun wasn't sure why, but he was feeling awfully sluggish. Zhong Chenle, who was previously mentioned, even asked him if he was alright. When Taehyun has answered yes, Chenle suggested that maybe his body wasn't accustomed to soccer yet, which was embarrassing given the fact that he had been practicing before school for two weeks to prep for the season.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Yeonjun had been trying to keep an eye on all three of the junior boys while still actively participating and excelling at his position. He stumbled a few times but only Jungkook seemed to notice, and the boy simply cheered him on, telling him it was okay. By now, the potion would've digested properly and gone into effect. If anything, it should've taken effect instantly when the liquid met his lips. Yeonjun was angry that Kai took magic out on humans, but he was more afraid that his already bad intentions could turn worse because of an error in chemistry. With so many emotions and thoughts in his head, even he, with the intent to make sure Taehyun was okay, couldn't realize he wasn't.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu was too preoccupied with his hangover to have noticed Taehyun's symptoms. Seongmin always concentrated on solely soccer when he was on the field, immersing him into the game. There was no way any of them could've seen what would come next.</p>
<p></p><div><p>For when Coach Kim blew the whistle, and Seongmin received the ball, he met Taehyun's gaze, making a swift, straight pass. Only, the ball zoomed right past his feet, though it was only inches away, and Taehyun collapsed to the ground.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Yeonjun's eyes widened in both shock and sour realization.</p>
<p></p><div><p>The potion finally took its effect.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung was on his phone when it happened. He loved his friends, but he didn't love them enough to invest his full attention to them playing what, to his knowledge was, a mindless "kick balls" game. But when he heard Beomgyu scream Taehyun's name with a desperation that went outside the lines of sports, his eyes rocketed to his friend and so did he.</p>
<p></p><div><p>He sprinted down the bleachers and out of the shade, getting to his friend as quickly as possible.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Beomgyu already had his arm around his shoulder for support. Doyoung scurried to take his other arm over his shoulder to help. "He seemed exhausted earlier," Chenle informed, remembering his brief conversation with the collapsed boy. "It could be that he just hasn't exercised in a while like he should have been." There was something condescending in his voice that the rest of the team could feel slicing at the air.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Shut it." Beomgyu quickly silenced him. "He had been practicing before school for the past weeks unlike some of you. I would know, I joined him for some."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Chenle scoffed quietly, but his voice was still loud enough for Beomgyu to hear. "Maybe he should learn how to not overwork himself."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Jisung held Chenle back when he and Beomgyu took threatening motions towards each other. Coach Kim stormed between the two before anything else could happen. "Enough. This isn't something to be bickering about. Your teammate has fallen, focus on getting him back up. Stop with the attitude." Coach adjusted his cap atop his head. "Yeonjun and you," his eyes landed on Doyoung, "you're a friend of Taehyun, yes?" When Seokjin received a nod of confirmation, he continued. "Take him to the physical trainer."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Opening his mouth, Beomgyu was ready to protest. Coach Kim merely gave him a silencing glare (to which Beomgyu reluctantly bit back his words) and looked at the rest of the gathered team. "Everyone else continue with practice as normal." Seokjin then looked towards the players along sidelines and called in a substitute for Taehyun. "And if I hear any of that attitude again from you two, Choi and Zhong, it's bench for a week."</p>
<p></p><div><p>꒰ ★☆ ꒱</p>
<p></p><div><p>"I really don't know what happened! I don't think this has ever happened. He's never really overworked himself per se... I mean I know he does a lot一student council, track, soccer一but it's never really exhausted him! I thought his stamina was just like, abnormally high! Like that chipmunk from Over the Hedge. Fuck what if Chenle's right. What if he's overworking himself? What if-"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Shhh he'll be fine." Yeonjun shook his head, pushing Taehyun higher up on his shoulders. Doyoung, out of the poor worry in his heart, could not shut up. He got it, his friend collapsed, yeah. But if he were in Yeonjun's place right now with the full knowledge that he had drunk something that caused his current state, he wouldn't be able to hold his feelings in.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Doyoung rushed to open the door to the physical trainer's room, only to see that it was empty. Yeonjun carefully picked Taehyun's small frame into his arms and lifted him onto a stiff bed. "You wait here in case she comes back," instructed he.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"What about you?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Yeonjun gave the younger a reassuring smile. "I'm going to go look for her, alright? Just wait here in case she comes back."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Not thinking much of the plan, Doyoung nodded and sat down besides Taehyun's unconscious body. He looked over him sadly, and the sight made Yeonjun's emotions power up in further intensity.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai had caused this. That stupid, fucking idiot, Kai. He had warned him not to do anything. He had explicitly told him to quit and cut it out. Yet here was one of the best players of his team, someone he knew to be an innocent bystander, lying on a bed, limp, with his friend by his side. Was Taehyun dead? No. But could a consequence of equal level in severity been caused? Yes.</p>
<p></p><div><p>The pattering and scratches of dirty cleats bounced around the halls. The captain wasn't looking for the trainer. He knew she would return. In addition to it being soccer, baseball, and softball season, it was also her working hours now. She was on duty, so the only reason for her absence would be to quickly get food, supplies, or discuss a matter of importance with another staff member. Yeonjun, with his four years of athlete experience, knew her better than to just abandon ship for a trivial reason and never come back.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Keeping that in mind, the boy climbed. He climbed up the stairs and headed straight for Mr. Lee's room, straight for the lab, and straight for where he knew (the not so straight) Kai would be.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"What the fuck do you think you're doing." As soon as his eyes landed on the younger boy, his black hair covering his widened eyes, the barrier keeping his anger from unleashing crumbled down.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai nearly dropped the bottle in his hand一Taehyun's almost empty Gatorade一in horror. "I-I thought open gym went on for another thirty minutes-"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Oh it would have. It would have, but Taehyun collapsed."</p>
<p></p><div><p>If it were possible, Kai's eyes went wider. "He what?" <i>"No... wasn't supposed to happen."</i> he thought. "Why did he-"</p>
<p></p><div><p>"I don't know why, Kai." Yeonjun took dangerous strides towards the other. "I'm here to ask you that. What the fuck did you put in his drink."</p>
<p></p><div><p>He didn't prepare this far ahead. When Kai had come up with the plan to erase Taehyun's memory, never had the outcome of Taehyun collapsing and Yeonjun confronting him ever come to mind. Maybe the thought of Yeonjun finding out popped up once or twice, but he figured once Taehyun had forgotten it'd be fine to confess. Now that the subject of his potion was passed out, Kai wasn't sure where to go from here.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"I didn't do anything," the taller lied. He took a step back, drink still in hand. The only thing dividing them now was a wooden table with a sink. Even with some safety distance between them, Kai felt too close for comfort. The elder was in the way of the only exit to the lab since Mr. Lee had locked the other doors.</p>
<p></p><div><p>He was trapped.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Now you want to play dumb?" Yeonjun felt his anger trickling through his veins, a familiar crunching sound resonating his ears. Sparks flew through his fingers, and a flame appeared in the palm of his hand. "Kai, you fucking hurt someone with your magic, and you want to act dumb?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai's heartbeat wasn't racing. He took another step back. Yeonjun took some forward. "I didn't mean to!" he yelled. "It was an accident that..." The boy gripped his shirt in desperation. "...That wasn't supposed to happen."</p>
<p></p><div><p>The fire got bigger, flames increasing in length. "Well it did Kai! It did! And now you hurt someone! What could've happened if no one else was there? What if you fucked up your potion even more than now? What if it was just like the rest of your stupid experiments?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>The younger was now not only physically trapped, but mentally too, back against the wall and two tables at his side. Even if he tried, he knew Yeonjun was stronger than him, faster than him. Whatever happened now, he had to take it.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"I didn't mean to一it! It wasn't supposed to do that."</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Then what was it supposed to do?" The way the sentence dripped from his mouth was poisonous. Every word punctured Kai's skin with a silver needle.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai kept his mouth shut. He wanted to tell him that he had saw Kai use magic. He wanted to tell him that he saw everything. But he knew no matter what he said, it was his fault. If he hadn't sparked fire in his hands none of this would have had to happened. Yeonjun disappearing? That could've been managed. But fire一burning and breathing fire. That was too raw for anyone to be able to forget. So he stood there, dumbly, and silent. He fiddled with the plastic bottle in his hand. The cap had long been abandoned on the floor, somewhere Kai couldn't even see through his teary eyes.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"ANSWER ME!"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai flinched.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Yeonjun's anger was out of control now. "You hurt one of my teammates. You hurt an INNOCENT PERSON, KAI. And for what?" A laugh, a miserable laugh filled the room. "Was it out of spite? To get revenge? So you took it out on someone completely uninvolved with us? I never knew you were so rottenly petty."</p>
<p></p><div><p>No words were reciprocated.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Do you understand?" Yeonjun's volume raised more and more with the lack of response. "What do I have to do to get you to understand? Just tell me what you were fucking doing!"</p>
<p></p><div><p>Then, in a moment of confusion, panic, and fear, Kai squeezed his eyes shut and brought the drink to his lips, drowning all that was left of the potion down his throat. Yeonjun got to him at the speed of light to yank the bottle out of his grip but it was too late. Kai crashed into the wall when he fell, his legs sliding to the floor.</p>
<p></p><div><p>He fucking drank the potion.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"Kai? Kai?" Yeonjun shook his limp body. "Why would you do that you idiot?!" The rage that once filled Yeonjun's features was washed over with concern.</p>
<p></p><div><p>The former's eyes were half opened when he spoke. "It was so he played well," Kai lied, voice weak. "I wanted him to play well."</p>
<p></p><div><p>Yeonjun slapped the boy's arm with no hesitation. "You're an idiot! I don't fucking care about why you did it anymore. Neither of us know what went wrong in that potion. Why would you drink it?"</p>
<p></p><div><p>A grin. Kai was grinning in this sort of situation. His perfect, family role model seemed concerned for his wellbeing. He used to always look out for him like this when they were younger. But, it was different now. Just barely he had accused him of trying to get petty revenge, and now he was on his knees with Kai in his arms. The younger couldn't remember the last time Yeonjun said something nice to him without hinting at something else; the last time passive aggressiveness was absent from their short exchanges.</p>
<p></p><div><p>"It wasn't supposed to harm anyone... But if it harmed him this was the only way to prove to you I didn't mean to." His grin was so fragile一<i>so pathetic.</i></p>
<p></p><div><p>The effect of the potion was taking a toll on Kai's body now. He felt as if he was getting heavier and heavier with each passing breath. Along with this feeling there was worry and doubt. Why had he drink the potion? Why had he cost himself without thinking through the possible outcomes? Didn't he learn from his mistake just now of not thinking about Yeonjun finding out?</p>
<p></p><div><p>But as Kai felt weaker, will practically disintegrating into Yeonjun's arms, he lost the energy to truly care about that. All he could do was grin. Grin and bathe in the fact that Yeonjun, captain of the soccer team, seemingly perfect Choi Yeonjun, was the one person Kai could hate and love at such intensities he never knew he was possible of.</p>
<p></p><div><p>Perhaps it was because he was always in his shadow. He was always the one that couldn't amount to anything; the one compared to the former. Maybe it was because he was jealous and wanting of the spotlight the older had. Kai didn't know. He knew practically nothing about himself, how could he decipher his own feelings? But one thing was for sure, right now, as the boy closed his eyes whilst the sound of the other's anxious words turned fuzzy,</p>
<p></p><div><p>Kai really fucking hated his brother.</p>
<p></p><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i am so sorry this chapter ended up being literally double the word count of the first. deadass 8000+ words ohmygoddd this is so rushed too :/ but thank u everyone who is supporting this fic! i honestly didn’t expect to get this much support but i truly appreciate it. i’m definitely an amateur  when it comes to writing and atm i’m struggling with a slight writers block but i really do appreciate it LMAOO &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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